An annual report ranking high schools across the country lists Bettendorf High School among the top five high schools in Iowa.
The report from U.S. News and World Report ranks schools for their ratio of students to teachers, student proficiency in math and in reading, and scores schools for students’ preparedness for college.
“It’s a moment of celebration for our entire school community,” says Bettendorf High School Principal, Jimmy Casas. “It’s a system. It’s our entire K-12 school system, but the reality is the kids play a huge part in that.”
“From an academic standpoint, we take great pride in the work that we do in terms of how we challenge kids, how we connect kids, how we listen to their voice – those types of things that want our kids to feel like this is a great place to be and this is where we want to be.”
The school boasts 90% proficiency in reading and 91% proficiency in math based on standardized testing and college-level (AP) exams.
“Our kids that are involved and excel at the highest level in terms of academics are also our most involved kids,” says Casas. “They’re the kids that are putting in a ton of service community hours, they’re the kids that are putting in a ton of time whether it’s in the pool, on the stage, on the court, on the football field… It’s funny how sometimes people just assume that things come easy to them and the reality is, it isn’t. It’s a lot of commitment, it’s being disciplined, it’s putting in a ton of time, but the reality is people just don’t see that.”
The report ranked the top ten high schools in Iowa, from #1 to #10, as John F. Kennedy High School in Cedar Rapids, Decorah High School in Decorah, Ames High School in Ames, West Senior High School in Iowa City, Bettendorf High School, Linn-Mar High School in Marion, Valley High School in West Des Moines, Johnston Senior High in Johnston, Williamsburg Junior-Senior High in Williamsburg and Iowa City High School in Iowa City.
